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Staying Alert
- Mar 21, 2004
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Virgin Media chief executive says Yes , agree ?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-on-TV-says-Virgin-Media-chief-executive.html
All Saturday 3pm Premier League kick-offs should be shown live on television with a “regional blackout” for local fans, the chief executive of Virgin Media has argued.
Tom Mockridge proposed the move as part of a campaign to get every top-flight match shown in the UK, something which saw the company lodge a formal complaint with Ofcom just over a year ago
That prompted Ofcom to launch an investigation last November into how the Premier League sells its broadcast rights, a probe that is ongoing and may not conclude for another 12 months.
Virgin argue the current arrangement, which sees only 41 per cent of matches shown live, are in breach of competition law and have contributed to the spiralling cost-per-game for broadcasters.
The last two UK television deals have witnessed 70 per cent surges in the amount paid by Sky Sports and BT Sport, with the latest contract worth a staggering £5.136 billion.
Some of that increase has been passed on to consumers, including customers of Virgin, which shows both of its rivals’ channels.
Mockridge claimed all matches being made available would reduce the cost-per-game for both Virgin and all armchair fans, warning that doing nothing risked another 70 per cent increase in two years’ time.
There has been a blackout on Saturday 3pm kick-offs being shown live since the 1960s amid fears broadcasting top-flight games at that time would adversely impact on attendances, particularly in lower leagues.
Mockridge suggested amending that to a “regional blackout”, which would prevent Saturday 3pm Manchester United games being shown in the Greater Manchester area and Arsenal fixtures being shown in London.
“We have the technology,” he said, pointing out the National Football League employs a similar system in the United States.
Mockridge branded the current arrangements as “an analogue deal in a digital age” and “a bit nanny state”, arguing consumers should have the choice whether to attend games or watch them on TV.
He rubbished suggestions that would lead to an epidemic of empty seats, claiming the extra money would allow clubs to reduce ticket prices.
“The single biggest impact on attendance is the ticket price,” he said.
Mockridge also argued any drop in attendances at Football League clubs could be offset by bigger solidarity payments from the Premier League.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-on-TV-says-Virgin-Media-chief-executive.html
All Saturday 3pm Premier League kick-offs should be shown live on television with a “regional blackout” for local fans, the chief executive of Virgin Media has argued.
Tom Mockridge proposed the move as part of a campaign to get every top-flight match shown in the UK, something which saw the company lodge a formal complaint with Ofcom just over a year ago
That prompted Ofcom to launch an investigation last November into how the Premier League sells its broadcast rights, a probe that is ongoing and may not conclude for another 12 months.
Virgin argue the current arrangement, which sees only 41 per cent of matches shown live, are in breach of competition law and have contributed to the spiralling cost-per-game for broadcasters.
The last two UK television deals have witnessed 70 per cent surges in the amount paid by Sky Sports and BT Sport, with the latest contract worth a staggering £5.136 billion.
Some of that increase has been passed on to consumers, including customers of Virgin, which shows both of its rivals’ channels.
Mockridge claimed all matches being made available would reduce the cost-per-game for both Virgin and all armchair fans, warning that doing nothing risked another 70 per cent increase in two years’ time.
There has been a blackout on Saturday 3pm kick-offs being shown live since the 1960s amid fears broadcasting top-flight games at that time would adversely impact on attendances, particularly in lower leagues.
Mockridge suggested amending that to a “regional blackout”, which would prevent Saturday 3pm Manchester United games being shown in the Greater Manchester area and Arsenal fixtures being shown in London.
“We have the technology,” he said, pointing out the National Football League employs a similar system in the United States.
Mockridge branded the current arrangements as “an analogue deal in a digital age” and “a bit nanny state”, arguing consumers should have the choice whether to attend games or watch them on TV.
He rubbished suggestions that would lead to an epidemic of empty seats, claiming the extra money would allow clubs to reduce ticket prices.
“The single biggest impact on attendance is the ticket price,” he said.
Mockridge also argued any drop in attendances at Football League clubs could be offset by bigger solidarity payments from the Premier League.
